Shiv Sena bow and arrow symbol row: Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena has started exploring new election symbol options after the Election Commission restricted both Thackeray and CM Eknath Shinde from using party name and its election symbol (bow and arrow).
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday passed an interim order barring both Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions from using the party name Shiv Sena and its 'bow and arrow' poll symbol.
In its interim order, EC said in Andheri East bye polls, neither of the two factions -- Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde -- shall be permitted to use the symbol "Bow & Arrow", reserved for "Shivsena".
The election commission said that both groups shall also be allotted such different symbols as they may choose from the list of free symbols notified by the Election Commission for the purposes of the current bye-elections. Accordingly, both groups are hereby directed to furnish, latest by 1 pm on October 10.
The Commission can allocate the name and symbol to both factions from the options submitted. The interim order came on Saturday on the Shinde faction's request seeking it be allocated the symbol as the Andheri East assembly by-poll is approaching.
Speaking on the matter, Election Commission's interim order to freeze Shiv Sena's symbol for the upcoming Andheri by-poll is injustice, Ambadas Danve of Uddhav Thackeray faction said.
"The Commission is duty bound to ensure that all electoral steps of the by-election are free of any confusion and contradiction and thus its next step are necessarily agnostic to the possibility of either of the faction participating in the poll,” the interim order said.
The rival factions had approached the Commission after the split in the Shiv Sena ranks in June, claiming to be the 'real Shiv Sena'.
The Commission had earlier asked the rival groups to submit documentary proof on legislative and organisational support by August 8 to back their claims. The deadline was extended to October 7 after the request of the Thackeray faction.
